Conveyer apparatus



)Feb 6, 1923.

1 lMLE) J. H. RAND CoNvEYER APPARATUS F. LED JAN. 18. 192 2 2 SHEETS-eef1 w ww CONVEYER APPARATUS FILEDl JAN. I8. 19.22 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 citizenof the United States, y North Tonawanda, in the county of Niagara andState of New York, have invented, new

ticles to and circular turntable, having the inspected articles fromanother.

Patented lFeb.. o, 11923. v

.tanins n. RAND, or morera froivawanne, Nieul Yoan.

CONVEYER APPARATUS. l

Application filed January 18, 1922. Serial No. 530,095.'

To all :whom it may concern: y

Be it known that l. JAMES H. RAND, a

and usefullmprovements in Conveyer Apparatus, of which the following isa speciiication.

T his invention relates particularly toconveyer apparatus for use indepartment stores and the like where all charged merchandise passesthrough a checking departiment for the -purpose of verifyingthecustomers lcredit before delivery, the apparatus serving to conveythe articles to and from the checking operators, it being understoodthat the invention is useful for other purposes.

-Objects of the invention are to deliver Varfrom any one of apluralityof stations with dispatch and orderliness, to reduce the number ofoperators in proportion to a reduced number of articles to be handled,to reduce the amount of space required for installations of the typereferred to', to increase the speed and to reduce the cost of handlingarticles, and in general to simplify and improve apparatus of thecharacter aforesaid. 1 A

The invention comprises a plurality of carriers traveling past aplurality of operators stations, together with means for automaticallydepositing articles upon one of the carriers and means for automaticallyremoving articles from another of the carriers so that the articles maybe delivered to and fromlany one of the operators stations b ei'ablyannular and rotatable about a common axis. A. distributor is arranged todistribute articles toY one ofthe carriers, the distributor having asurface sloping upwardly andv inwardly from the carrier so that articlesdeposited thereupon slide to different positions on the carrierdepending upon the angular position of the carrier.

More .particularly the invention comprises a rotatable structure orfsupport, such as a vertically spaced1 independent receiving surfaces orshelves. Means are provided for delivering articles to certain of theJsurfaces and for removing 1n order to deliver the articles within easyreach of the operators who are grouped about the structure distributingmeans are preferably and resident of the same carriers. The carriers arepref provided to4 direct the articles to the outer edge of receivingsurface. l

As an example typical of the genus to which the inventiorrbelongs aninstallation of apparatus for provicing a nal check Aupon packages aboutto be sent out to charge lcustomers of a large department store will beshown and described. i l

In the drawings-fn Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

F ig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fie'. c;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Y

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of a. portion of the device indicated by theline 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 isl a detailed sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

The embodiment of the invention shown for the purpose of illustrationcomprises a carried away by a similar conveyer E passing over a rollerF. Surroundingthe rotatable structure or turntable A is a plurality ofinspectors desks Gr.- Each desk may be provided with a credit index Hand a chair .l lfor the inspector.

rlfhe turntable A as disclosed by the draw ing is supported by a base 7in which a pivot post 8 isfastf Pivot post 8 has an upper reducedportion 9 forming a shoulder at 10 and is further reduced at the top toform a stub end 11 and shoulder 12. -Mounted for rotation upon the lower`portionof post 8 is a sleeve 13, the lower end of which rests on ballbearings 14 on base 7. rlhe upper portion of sleeve 13 has a. reducedaxial bore 15 receiving partv9 of the post and 'forming a shoulder whichcontacts with shoulder 10 Von the post. Fast on the top of sleeve 13 isa' collar 16 having integral radial projections 17 to which arefaste/ned radial arms '18 and 19. These radial arms may comprise a aman'outer 'ends thereof in vertical spaced rela tion t the-outer portionsof radialarms 18. Mounted on pivot pin or stub end 11 of post 8 is aflat conical cap piece 20 made in- Y tegral with `vthe lower portion ofthe turntable by means of inwardly inclined mem- `ibers 21' attached atone end to downwardly inclined radial arms 22 on member 20 and .at theother end to radial arms 18'.

' members 21 provides a substantiallyl axially A disposed frusto-conicaldeiiecting or distributing surface 25 which merges at its base into the'surface of level 23 and may be overlapped at the top if desired to forma smooth sliding surface by ring 26 which may be of yielding orresilient material set into a recess in lcap piece 20. Upper level 23has an upwardly projecting rim 27 to prevent articles thereonfromsliding off;

Articles placed upon lower level 24 are retained therein by a circularlstationary guard28. The upper portion of the guard is cut down to thelevel or surface 24 adjacent conveyer beltE to permit articles onsurface 24 to be deflected upon the conveyer, a plate.

29 being provided to bridge thegap between guard 28 and the uppersurfaceof roller 21.

The means for directing articles on level 24 to conveyer E comprises acurved delector 30 which is an extension ofthe guard member for theconveyer and curves across the surface of level 24 into juxtaposition tothe wall 31 extending vertically between arms 18 and 19. j

Any suitable means may be provided for rotating structure orturntable'A, lthe means shown in the drawing comprising an electricmotor 32 mounted upon base 7. The motor drives a shaft 33 supported' atits free end in a bearing 34 and provided with a worm 35 which operatesa 'worm` ear 36 fast on the lower end of sleeve 13. o prevent tippingand rocking of the turntable, casters- 37, shown in detail in Fig. 5,are provided at suitable intervals upon wall 31. casters roll on acircula-r track 38. j y

The operation of the device is as follows: Articles are conveyed toturntable A by means of belt B and delivered upon cap piece 20, whencethey slide by gravity down inclined surface 25 and come to rest on level23 adjacent the desks G of the inspectors or examiners. As turntable Aslowly rotates in the direction of arrow a (Fig. 2) the operatorsoccupying chairs 'J remove the articles frornlevel 23, examine them,referring to a credit file H if necessary to determine whether thecustomers credit is sufiiciently good to permit the article to goforward.

These l Ifthe examination is satisfactory, the in Spector places thearticle upon lower 'level 24. When the article reaches aposition opitupon the conveyer which carriesit to the shipping or other department.

'llhe particular arangenient of elements shown has many advantages.Vlh'env ar- ,ticles are coming through slowly asingle inspector may beable togtake care-of them andthe others may be released -for other work.vVVhenthe articles ybegin to come through iii-greater numbers otheroperators lmay be called.y A considerableaccumula tion of articlesis-possible upon upper-level -23 without permitting any ofl them to getthe inspector without examinatiomsince an article'is not taken olil thefirst time -itfstays upon llevel 23 by reason of retaining rim 27 untilit is removed for inspection..

The Aslope of distributing or defiecting surface 25 may be madeas'vsharp or as gadual as maybe desirable, for'the particular vpos'iteconveyer E, curved delector 30 guides class ofarticles to be inspected.If gradual,' Y.

boXes containing loose articles .may besent l l placing carriers, andmeansv for automatically re moving articles from another of said'carriers, whereby articles may be delivered to and from any one of theoperators stations by the same carriers. f

2. Conveyor apparatus comprising a plu- .rality lof annular carriersrotatable about a common axis past a plurality of operators stations,means for automatically'depositing articles upon one of saTid 'carriers`and means for automatically removing articles from an i other of saidcarriers, whereby articles may be delivered to and from any one of thevoperators stationsby the same carriers. y

v3. Conveyer apparatus-comprising a plurality ofannular carriersrotatable about a common axis past a plurality of operators stations, adistributor having' a distributing, surface sloping upwardly andinwardly from one of said annular carriers, a conveyer for i deliveringarticles upon said distributor-to slide down said surface to differentpositions on the associated carrier depending upon'theangular positionof the carrier relative to ing articles from another ofrsaid carriers.

4. Conveyer apparatus comprisinga carrier rotatable past a plurality ofoperatorsz Asaid axis, and a second conveyer for deliver- I 90 throughthe device for checking, ,as in small f `articles upon said distributorso as to be distributed around the upper shelf as the carrier rotates,and a conveyer for automati cally delivering articles from another ofsaid shelves, whereby articles may be delivered to and from any one ofthe operators stations by the carriers. p

5. In apparatus of the character described,

a rotatable structure, a pairof article shelvesat dii'erent levelsthereon, means for supplying articles to one level and for removingarticles from the other level, and a plurality of inspectors stationsgrouped about said structure, whereby an operator at any one of saidstations may rem-ove articles from one shelf and then place the articlesupon the othershelf.

6.' lnapparatus of the classjdescribed, a stationary post, a structuremounted upon said post for rotative movement, lvertically spaced articlereceivingtshelves on said structure, and a deflector extending above theupper of said shelves to direct articles to the outer edge thereof.

7. ln apparatus of the class described, a stationary post, a structuremounted upon said post for rotative movement, said struc ture comprisinga sleeve enclosing the lower portion of said post and a cap piece uponthe top of said post, vertically spaced article receiving levels on saidstructure, and a deflector extending above the upper of said levels todirectl articles to the outer edge thereof.

8. In apparatus of the class described, a stationary post, a sleevesurrounding the lower portion of said post, and a cap piece u'pon thetop of said post, means connecting said sleeve and said cap piece toforni a rotatable structure having .vertically spaced carrier shelvesintegrall therewith, and a "frusto-conical delecting surface extendingbetween the upper of said'shelves and said cap piece whereby articlesare directed to the outer edge of the upper shelf.

9. In apparatus of the class described, a. stationary post, a sleevesurrounding the lower portion of said post, a cap piece upon the top ofsaid post, radial arms extending outwardly from said sleeve, verticallyspaced annular carriers supported by said arms, and

1127i Lg) upwardly and inwardly inclined members connecting certain ofsaid arms with said cap piece to provide a deflecting surfaceoadapted todirect articles deposited upon said cap piece to the outer edge of oneof said carriers.

l0. ln apparatus of the class described,

a stationary post, a sleeve surrounding the v lower portion of saidpost, a cap piece upon the topI of said post, a series of radial armsextending horizontally outwardly from said sleeve, a second series ofradial' arms having offset substantially paralel ends also extendingoutwardly from said sleeve, vertically spaced annular carriers`supported by said arms, and upwardly and inwardly inclined membersconnecting'said first named arms. with said cap piece to provide adeiecting surface adapted to direct articles deposited upon said cappiece tothe outer edge of one of said carriers.

ll. Conveyer' apparatus comprising a turntable, means for rotating saidturntable, annular article on said turntable at different levels, aconical distributor extending above the uppermost of said carriers, acircular guard for retainingarticles upon the lowermost of saidcarriers, and means associated with said last named carrier for removingarticles there.- from.

l2. 'Conveyei' apparatus comprising a turntable. means for rotating saidturntable, annular article carriers mounted on said turntable atdifferent levels, a conical distributor extending above the uppermost ofsaid surfaces, a circular guard for retaining articles upon thelowermost of said surfaces, said guard having an opening therein, andmeans for directingaiticles on said last named surface through saidopening.

JAMES H. RAND.

Mass., this 10th carriers mounted`

